Equivalent Exchange
by Buster Wolf
Summary: Chapter 01 is finally up. Join Sigmund as he messes up, real bad... Even some celebrity appearences from Riza Hawkeye! Not really, but chapter 01 is quite promising
1. Chapter 00: Legend

00: Legend

In the beginning, there was God. This God created man, who he gave the power of free will. With this people built cities and life flourished from forth their creations. Man then endeavored the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom and studies the fields of math and science. The combination of these two created the power of alchemy, and alchemist who use the pursuit of science to answer the mysteries of life. A very important law, is that of the law equivalent exchange which states:

_Humankind cannot gain anything without giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost._

With this in mind, man eventually came to the conclusion that he can play the power of God. Alchemists attempted the creation of a human. The result of the transmutation experiment, was a failed human. Most of the alchemists were found dead, the rest were never found at all. Around this time man had thought to create law and order within their society, henceforth came the existence of government. This government was based solely on a military to run the country. As one would have guessed the officers within this organization used alchemy to keep law and order within society. They also began to fund their own human transmutation experiments, but all failed miserably and the practice of human transmutation became illegal, but mans ignorance could not leave the creation of life alone. One day, a man said that he had restored life, and of course no one believed him. He left all of findings in the form of a small crimson stone, that was rumored to bypass the law of equivalent trade and give back another's life. Unfortunately around this time a great war, called the Ishbalin war, was on the brink, and amidst the chaos the man was killed. Almost all remnants of his research were wiped out, save the rumors that spread around the country like a wildfire. The blood red rock seemed to fit all of the stories of the mythical philosopher's stone. A stone that was imbued with the power to grant immortality to the wielder by creating something called the elixir of life. Anyway, soon after the man was killed the military caught wind of the stone and sent search teams to find it, but to no avail. The constructed countless research efforts, all of which also failed. Around this time two boys Edward and Alphonse Elric were born. There father was deemed a brilliant scientist and the mother an extraordinarily beautiful women. For an unknown reason, soon after the boys were born, their father, Hohenheim Elric deserted the family. The young boys mother attempted to keep te small family together, but years later she died. The two boys were left to fend for themselves in the world, but missed their mother deeply. They dabbled in the studies of alchemy and then attempted their own, forbidden, human transmutation. Their attempt to play God was a failure to such extremes that young Edward paid the price of losing his right arm and left leg. His brother Alphonse on the other hand, lost his entire body, and in an attempt to keep his brother alive Edward sealed his Alphonse's soul to suit of armor. After this the boys traveled and were trained in the fields of martial arts as well as alchemy. After the completion of their training, the boys caught wind of the philosopher's stone rumor and took to the military, who had now established themselves as State Alchemists. The boys became the youngest officers in the military at age twelve and eleven, because of their extraordinary power to do alchemy without a transmutation circle. From there on out the two young boys traveled the land, via the expense account of the military, in search of the legendary philosopher's stone. Unfortunately the boys have not met without difficulty on their adventures. There are people who despise them for even going in search of the stone and attempt to throw them off the trail. Others even go to the extreme of attempting to kill the brothers. One of these men is that of Sigmund Engel. He was an ordinary man who lived within the same city that the State Alchemists central headquarters was located. He claims that one day, while out traveling home from the city God sent a message to him. God told him to wipe out all who quest for the philosopher's stone. For the power to play God was an almost unforgivable sin. Engel says that the he was a servant of God whose sole destiny was to protect man from the powers of the philosopher's stone. Months later he joined the State Alchemist with secret intent to seek out and kill the Elric's. He was accepted because of his ability to mysteriously perform alchemy without means of a transmutation circle. He describes the ability as gift from God. A few months after joining he was placed under the command of Colonel Roy Mustang, and was dubbed the crescent alchemist, because of the fact he carried around a long metal pole with a sharp crescent moon that sat at an angle atop it. This is his story...

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I hope you enjoyed the prequel to my story, The first chapter will be up in a matter of days. Hopefully I build up some sort of fan reply's. Basically "Chapter: 00" was an introduction of my writing style. Hope for some reply's and possibly some good criticism. Well See everyone soon! Also stay tuned for the next chapter. **Chapter: 01 _No Turning Back_**. This is Tai signing out! BUSTER WOLF! 


	2. Chapter 01: No Turning Back

Chapter 01: No turning back

"And I believe that is all the evidence required to search for a philosopher's stone." Sigmund said with a slight smirk on his face, as he handed his superior, lieutenant colonel Roy Mustang a manilla folder containing a few papers inside.

"You do understand that first, I must give approval of the documents" Mustang said as he looked into the contents of the folder. " And if I give the ok they are sent to the Furher, for review," he continued as he turned to face the large second story window, which displayed a bright charismatic spring day.

"I'm confident that my request will be approved by the both of you though, so there's no need to worry about it." Sigmund said confidently.

"You seem to be quite sure that all of this will be approved. Why is that Engel?"

"In the beginning, I was concerned that you or the Furher would disapprove, but I then I told myself that the two of you also accepted Edward and Alphonse's request as well.

"I only approved those two's request because of their pity story. You on the other hand are only in for it for..." Mustang quickly read one of the pieces of paper. "Scientific purposes." Mustang said and tossed the folder onto his solid dark-wood oak desk. "Although I was surprised that Furher Bradley agreed, simply because it is a widely known fact that he does not believe in the existence of the stone. Having said this, why do you think I should let you search for a stone now?"

"No intent to be rude sir..." Engel said nonchalantly ",but all of that can be found in my report. Now if you'll excuse me I have to be getting back to my guard duty." Having that said, Sigmund saluted the lieutenant colonel and made his way down the hallway. "And the plot unfolds..." he said in his mind as he made his way down the corridor and out through the head quarter doors. Upon exiting the door he was greeted by two fellow officers...

"Afternoon Sigmund!" one said happily.

"How did the lieutenant colonel take it?" another one questioned. Apparently news of his request had spread like fleas on a dog throughout the headquarters.

"I'm pretty sure that my request won't be denied, I mean it's taken Edward and Alphonse Elric two years and they have yet to find anything." Sigmund chuckled as he continued down the steps."Fweeeeeeet!"A loud whistled sounded about a block away from the headquarters. Sigmund and the two soldiers cocked their heads toward the sound and dashed off to see the source of the problem.

Upon approaching the situation, Sigmund was somewhat mortified. Two officers lay on the ground, their blood staining the pewter cobblestone below. Looking further he caught glimpse of a man fleeing east down the street. Sigmund pulled a small thick rod from his coat. He clapped his hands and clasped the rod. When the light and sparks cleared Sigmund was running down the street, a long, skinny rod with a crescent moon atop it was in his right hand. The fleeing man eventually stopped and turned around to face Sigmund. Sigmund recognized the man from a report that he had seen earlier in the week. He was wanted throughout the country for killing countless state alchemists, and attempting to break into the state alchemist library. He had oddly white hair and wore shades, a yellow coat and black pants. Though these were some features the most distinguishing was the giant 'X' shaped scar that sat upon his forehead and the giant alchemy symbols that ran up his right arm.

Sigmund darted forward. Once in range he slashed horizontally with his blade like crescent-moon rod. The man ducked onto the ground and grabbed the pole as it went by him. Before Sigmund could react the rod shattered, leaving the crescent ending to fall down to the ground with a slight 'tink'. The culprit flipped backward and poised his hands to defend himself once again. 'CLAP!' Sigmund's hand sounded as he then placed his palms on the ground. The cobblestones below morphed their shape into that of a fist that charged toward the mysterious man. The man attempted to hold the stone fist back, or at least this is what Sigmund thought. When the transmutated rock touched the man's palms, it shattered into nothingness.

"What kind of sick alchemy is that?" Sigmund thought to himself. A moment later he heard a group of people from around the corner.

"He's over here men!" a man's voice shouted, Sigmund turned to see more state alchemist come to help, but when he turned back to see the man, he was gone...

"He's gone..." Sigmund sigh to other officers. Bent down and picked up his crescent. It was here that he noticed a very fine powder. Leaning down he inspected the powder. Picking up a bit of it, it left a lustrous silver on his chalk-white gloves "It's...iron, the same stuff my rod was made out of...

"Are you coming private Engel?" one of the others called out.

"I'll be there in a moment." He said waving his hand toward the man, signaling him to go on. "That had to be Scar..." he thought to himself, standing back up and heading back toward headquarters, more precisely his guard area. He looked at his fellow officers, they didn't seem to know who the man's identity was. "Good, if word gets out that Scar is near by, my request approval chances are shot..."

A week had went by with no word from Mustang, nor Scar, which put Sigmund at ease. On the eighth day though Mustang had called a meeting with Engel, which of course was going to be on the results of his request to start his own "look for the philosopher's stone". He strode down the hallway, rain taping on the side of the glass window's portraying a somber rainy day. Sigmund knocked on the the large brown oak door and then let himself in. There he found the lieutenant colonel staring out of the window, his arms behind his back. The two did their military salutations and Mustang took a seat. "After carefully looking over your request, I have decided to deny your request."

Sigmund's body lurched forward in shock from his superior's reply.

"What the hell do you mean my request was denied!" Sigmund yelled out, slamming his fist on side of his chair.

"Watch your tone of voice Engel, remember that I am your supei- "

"I don't' care if you're my superior! You'll let a bunch of brat's run around and excessively waste the military's money for two years, but you deny me! What sort of logic do you base this off of!"

"Hold your toun- "

"I asked you a question Roy!" Engel demanded. He then stood up and kicked the chair over. He stomped out of the room, ripping the door off of it's hinge's "And you wonder why you're not Fuhrer, it's because you're an idiot!"

"Apprehend that man!" Roy called out to two soldier's. Stuck in a hallway between two soldiers and the flame alchemist, Engel knew he had messed up bad. Acting on pure reflex he kicked a window, shattering it. Before thinking about his actions he jumped from the second story window. The rainfall had increased intensity, hitting Engel's body, like thousands of acupuncture needles. This of course paled in comparison to the pain he felt when he hit the tree below him. He was stabbed throughout his body by hanging branches, and finally crashed to the hard cobblestone ground. He quickly picked himself up, and ran away limping and holding his side. He began to run for the city streets, but was cut off by soldiers who guarded the exit to the headquarters.

The men charged upon him, spears in hand. Thinking quickly, he pulled out what was left of his rod. With what strength he had Sigmund threw the crescent. Acting like a boomerang It spun toward one of the guards, who knocked it away as if it were nothing.

"Dammit..." Sigmund said. At that moment a loud ring, sounded throughout the headquarters. Sigmund's right shoulder then felt as if it were drilled into the bone as he dropped to one knee.

"Remain still or I'll shoot again!" a voice came from behind him. Sigmund looked back seeing that he was shot by none other than first lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. He clapped his hands together and slammed them down to the hard wet stone below. It felt as if someone drilled a second hole in his shoulder, as Riza let out another bullet. Before a third could be fired a wall had come up between the two. Sigmund clapped his hands together again and the ground below sprang up like a whip, toppling all the oncoming soldiers. With his path cleared, Sigmund limped off holding his soldier. Running off, he was smashed in the back and fell forward onto the ground. He looked up, someone had transmutated a three foot stone fist from the ground. He clapped his hands again, his shoulder ached with an unsurmountable pain, after the light faded, Sigmund began to flee, but at a slower rate, the bullets had begun to affect him. He fell forward, coughing up blood. Then men chasing him were a little preoccupied by the spikes he had created from the road.

By this time the former 'crescent moon alchemist' had made his way into the slums of the town. Earlier he had set up walls leading down another road to throw the state officers from his trail. Crawling through the desolate side walk, blood trickling from his shoulder, mouth, and back Sigmund fell, his vision fading into blackness...

"I can't... let... it all... end like...this..." he uttered before he finally fell unconscious...

As quickly as it had seemed he had blanked out, Sigmund slowly awoke to a dimly, candle-lit room.

"Where...am...I..."

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End Chapter 01. Not to brag, but I thought it was pretty good. Hopefully the readers will think the same. Man... Sigmund's F'ed up big time. Now, while searching for the Elric brothers, he's got to worry about the military on his arse. I plan to also slowly introduce the characters from the show, for example this time First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. Well, I hope for a good bit of reviews. I got 1 last time, but hopefully there'll be more. Also if you enjoyed the story so far, stay tuned for the next chapter. **Chapter 02**: **_Yin and Yang_**. Till next time, this is Tai signing off. BUSTER WOLF! 


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